Paris Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2013: Top Hair Trends
Paris is such an absolutely breathtaking city, and it’s one of the most culturally vibrant places in the world. Fashion takes on a new meaning in Paris, and the City of Love does nothing halfway! Which is why, the Paris Autumn/ Winter 2013 Fashion Week is always such a delight to watch.

I’ve picked my favourites from the Paris Autumn/ Winter 2013 Fashion. I hope you all like them as much as I did! If yes, follow the instructions and get ready to sport some seriously stunning trends this season!

1. Balmain

I loved the look at the Balmain show because it’s always fun to step out of your comfort zone and try something a little bit edgy, a little bit dramatic.

Most women tend to opt for regular, “girly” hairstyles when they’re trying something new, but why not walk down the funky route just this once? You might find that you really like it!

The haircut combines a slicked back pompadour style, with an almost-undercut effect to the sides giving way to regular, open hair down the back. The slicked, wet-look effect’s been used only for the hair at the front and the sides, and it’s an interesting way to combine textures and finishes.

Here’s How You Can Get It:

This style works best on second-day hair because freshly washed hair will be too soft to hold this style up properly.

Take a brush and brush your hair towards the back, covering your natural parting. Comb your hair moving from the forehead to the back so that it’s all brushed back properly, and free of any tangles.

Take a long-tailed comb and draw an inverted arc from the bottom of one ear to the other, cutting your hair in a soft U and dividing it into an upper layer and a bottom layer.

The upper layer has to be styled into the pompadour and the slicked sides, so secure the bottom layer out of the way in a low ponytail.

Now, take a little bit of styling mousse and run your fingers through the upper layer. Don’t go lower than that: we only want the hair around the crown to be slicked back.

Finger-comb your hair backwards using mousse: this will add some texture and also allow you to style your hair properly.

For the pompadour, you should style only the hair directly at the front and top of the crown. Don’t style the hair at the sides: that has to be shaped into the slicked, faux-undercut later.

Start picking up small sections of hair from the front and backcombing them. Once you’re done with one layer, backcomb the section directly behind it. Layer these sections over each other to make the pouf.

Once you’re happy with the height and shape, pin the pouf into place using bobby pins.

Smoothen the surface of the pouf with a soft brush. Don’t comb through; just even out any roughness on the surface.

Now, take some styling gel, spread it onto a comb and brush the sides back, and slicking them down as you go. The sides should lay really flat on your head so that they create the impression of an undercut style.

You don’t have to slick the sides all the way to the back, just till behind your ears.

If you want to emphasize the look even more, add a pin or a clip vertically just behind your ears. This will help hold the slicked back portions in place.

Spray/ add some shine-enhancing serum onto the sides for a wet look. You can even add a few drops of Argan oil.

Now, undo the hair in the ponytail and gently brush the ends of the top layer (what’s left over from the pompadour) and this bottom layer together to blend them in with each other.

You can pull a few strands over your shoulders.

Spray some medium-hold hairspray, and you’re ready to rock-and-roll!

2. Viktor & Rolf

The models at the Viktor & Rolf show wore their hair up, with a cute version of the milkmaid braids in slightly mussed up hair. It’s a really interesting look because it’s feminine, and yet the braids in this particular style add a slightly rustic, quaint touch to the style too!

And because it’s a tad bit scruffy, you don’t really have to worry about getting your hair very sleek and smooth; which makes it a fabulous option for a day when you’re out and about and don’t want to worry about touch-ups and regular restyling.

It’s also the kind of look that would work equally well with t-shirts and jeans and with feminine, flowing dresses and skirts!

Here’s How You Can Get It:

Begin by brushing through your hair properly. Make sure you get all knots and tangles out.

Trace a middle parting in your hair, dividing it into two sections: the left and the right. Brush through them again. Make sure there aren’t any overlapping sections; these will make braiding difficult later.

Pull a few strands loose on both sides to frame your face. Let these be for now. Make sure you don’t end up braiding them in.

Let’s begin with the hair on one side. Start from around ½ an inch into the parting (½ an inch upwards from your hairline) and around 1½ inches away to the side. Start braiding the hair down the side in a waterfall braid, moving from the front towards the back and the end of the section.

A waterfall braid is a mix between a regular braid and a French braid, and it allows you to incorporate hair from the sides as you move down the side of your head. If it’s too tough for you just yet, try braiding the regular way.

Braid till the very end of the section and then secure the braid with a transparent hair-elastic.

Repeat this step with the other side.

Tug on the braids a bit to loosen them up. This will make them more pliable for the next step.

Now, take one braid and wrap it around the nape of your neck and behind the other ear and over to the other side, such that it lays next to the braid coming down that side.

Keep pinning it into place with bobby pins. Push each pin vertically into the braid and then press it flat on its own side and push it into the hair.

Now take the other braid and bring it over to the side of the first braid. Pin it as you go along.

Make sure you add some extra pins at the nape of your neck, where both braids overlap. This will give strength to the style and make sure that it stays up.

You should have two parallel braids running up and down each side now.

You can curl the tendrils at the front to frame your face or just leave them as is.

Add some shine-boosting, medium-hold hairspray, and you’re all styled!

3. Thierry Mugler

A dressy ponytail is always a great addition to any look: it’s a fuss-free style that lets you get your hair away from your face, so it’s practical, but it’s also fancy enough to spice up your look.

The models at the Thierry Mugler show sported voluminous low ponytails set off with a large bouffant-style crown. It’s quite a stylish take on an everyday ponytail, and depending on just how much you like to play around with style, you could rock this look on an ordinary day or dress it up for an occasion.

Here’s How You Can Get It:

Blow-dry freshly washed hair. Don’t worry about making it very straight, but do smoothen it out as much as you can.

Take a brush and brush your hair back away from the hairline. Make sure you cover up your natural parting. Keep combing your hair until it’s completely smoothed and all of it is brushed properly towards the back.

The major focus of this ponytail is the large volume at the crown. It’s not exactly a bouffant so much so as an all-over pouf.

The key to getting all the volume is in backcombing properly. You’ll have to backcomb all the hair around the crown, so start by backcombing the front, the top and the sides in horizontal layers, moving from side to side.

Pick up one-inch sections in one horizontal line, back comb all of them and gently flip them forward, over your face. Then backcomb the layer behind it and once you’re done, tip it over too. Do this with all the hair till the middle of the back of your head.

Then very carefully flip all your hair back, such that the backcombed sections fall on top of each other and form a large, voluminous dome-like bouffant.

Use your hands and a soft-bristle brush to shape and arrange the teased hair. Gently arrange your hair in a height and shape you’re comfortable with. Use the soft-bristle brush to even out the surface of the teased portion.

You’ll have to flatten out the sides a bit to get them to flow towards the back properly.

Pin the teased hair at the back, near the nape of your neck.

Gather the hair from the neck into a low ponytail and secure it in place. You can brush through this again to smoothen it out. You can also add some curls to it for added drama!

Hope you like these three styles! The Autumn/ Winter 2013 Fashion Weeks have been an absolute blast! I can’t wait to see which of these styles go onto become worldwide trends in the coming season!